Drive chain



Oct. 19, 1937. D B. PERRY 2,096,061

DRIVE CHAIN Filed May 26, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z v. 2 /7/ f, /7d I/ /a @al 7b,- 4*- j v l INVENTOR ATTO RN EYJ D. B. PERRY DRIVE CHAIN oct. 19, 1937.

2 Sheets-sneet 2 Filed May 26, 1936 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 PA'rer 1o-RIVE CHAIN David Barnes Perry, Ithaca, N. Y., assignor to Morse Chain Company, Ithaca, N.,Y.,. a corporation of New York Application May 26, 1936, SerialNo. 81,789

8 Claims.

This invention relates to drive chains and has for its primary object the provision of an irnproved rocker joint for such chains of a character providing elasticity in the chain.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an elastic joint construction for drive chains employing pintles of the rocker type operating to normally shorten the pitch of the chain within limits. Y

A further'obje'ctl resides in the provision of a rocker joint for drive chains having spring means associated therewith to make the joint yieldable and in which the spring means is so arranged that it does not constitute part of the rocker bearing of the joint.

How the foregoing, together with such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or are incident to my invention are realized, is illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figurel is a sectional side elevation of a portion of a drive chain embodying my invention with the pintles omitted in the two end apertures, the view being takenrsubstantially on the line i-i oi Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a face view of a link plate;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 with the chain underload; and

Figure 5 isa view similar to Figure 4 taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

The section of the drive chain illustrated comprises links 6, ta, "I, 'Ia and 'iby each composed of a plurality of arch-shaped plates having tooth portions for engaging the teeth of sprocket Wheels and two part pintles of the rocker type joining the links, two of the joints being indicated as a whole by the reference numerals 8 and 9 in Figures 1 and 2. 4 A

These two part pintles each comprise a rocker pin I0 and a seat pin EI. The rocker pin I is provided with a rocker surface I2 adapted to rock on the seating surface I3 of the seat pin.

This seating surface 4I3 may be flat as shown or it may be convex or concave as desired. I prefer to so arrange the two part pintles in the apertures of the links Vthat all of the seat pins I I face vin the same direction as illustrated in Figure 1, although the advantages to be obtained through my invention may also be realized if the seat pins are alternately faced in opposite directions.

In the arrangement illustrated the rocker pin I0 of the joint 8 is keyed in the plates of the ad- (Cl. 'I4-253) jacent linke 'so as to rotate therewith when articulation takes place at this joint and has turning clearance in the plates of the connected link la. This rocker pin iii is keyed in the plates of the link 6 by means of `keying suriacesor projections I4 in the plate apertures fitting a longitudinally extending groove I5 in the pin, the contour of the apertures being iike'the right-hand apertureV of Figure 3. Turning clearance is provided in the apertures of the plates of the connected link 'Ia because of vtheir curved surfaces it, the contour of these apertures being like the left-hand aperture of Figure 3. l

The associated seat pin II of the joint 8 is arranged so that its front seating surfacel I3 engages the rocker surface i2 of the rocker pin and is provided vwith a longitudinally extending recess I'I in its rear surface. A* yieldable or bowed spring member I3 is carried in this recess, the thickness of which is greater than the depth of the recess so that it projects from the seat pin as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. The projecting portion of the member I8 fits into keying surfaces or notchesv I9 provided in the apertures of the plates of the connected link da so thatthe member I8 and the seat pin I I are keyed in this connected link to turn therewith. 'I'he contour of these apertures is like the left-hand aperture in Figure 3. 'Ihe member I8 and seat pin IlV having turning clearance inthe apertures of the plates of the link 5 by reason of the curved surfaces 20 of these apertures` which are ofthe `contour of l the lright-hand aperturel in Figure `3. The seat pin II of the jointV 8 is provided with shouldered end portions 2i, shown in cross-section in Figure 1, which'fit similarly shaped holes in endwashers 22. These end portions are riveted over as indicated at 23 after the chain parts are assembled.

Referring now to the other joint 9 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the rocker pin l@ in this instance is keyed in the link 'Ia and the seat pin I I is keyed in the link 6a. These pins are of the same shape in cross-section as the pins above described, and the right-hand aperture of the link Ia is the same as the right-hand aperture of the link 6, and the left-hand aperture of the link 6a is the same 'as the left-hand aperture of the link 1a. The construction and arrangement of the spring member I8 of this joint is the same as that of the joint 8 above described. In this instance, the rocker pin III is` provided with shouldered end portions 2d, shown in cross-section in Figure 1, which t correspondingly shaped holes in the end Washers v25, and the end portions are ,Y rivetedover as indicated at 26. VIf desired, ,how ever, the; seat pin Il of Vthis joint may be shoul-,

' 1 pin;

.dered and riveted in place instead of the'rocker y The Vremaining, linksrand` jointsj ofthe Ychain Varegof the same arrangement as above, it being pointed outthat the joint for the links 6 and 1 is like theV joints 9.and1that thejoint for Ythelinks Y5a and'lb'is like thek joint 8, i. e., J'Ointsfof the Y rocker joint bearing, e., the` arrangement is' construction 'of the joint 8 alternate withV joints length .of VtheV chain.

Y Y1t will .be seen from the fcegoingltnat vIf iufm/efl provided an elastic rocker joint drive chainV in which the Vspring members areso arrangedrthat. theyV do notgcon'stitute a working portion of the Vsuch Athat the rocker pin and seat pin are inY bearingrcontac't with each other from end to end under all load conditions because the spring Q Vmember is associated with one of thepins of the Ytwo'part pintle, in this instance fits rear 0r non-bearingface. 1 v .c Y

In theV particular arrangementVA illustrated in Vthe drawings in which all vof .theseat Vpins'V face in the Vsame direction, all of Ythe'Y link Vvplatesware V'of thesame form,;i. e., each link plate has `an aperture at one end for' keying the rocker/pin' A; thereto. and anV apertureV at the other` end for thedirection in Whichrthelseatpinsjface alter-.

keying the seat pin thereto. VIn instances where i j nates throughout the length of the chain,V every other linkV is provided with two apertureslike'the Y right-hand aperturesfof Figure V3 adapted to key the rocker pins in place and the remaining. Vor connecting links are provided with two y'apertures t like theleft-hand 'apertures of 'Figure 3 adapted ,l `to keythe seat'pins in'place.4 The construction of the pintle parts and thespring Vmernberghow- -evenis the' same as described in connection with` theY preferred formi of Amy invention. f

Through the practice of my invention a drive. chain is Vprovided in which elongation of pitch isi automaticallyV compensated for in the slackrrun f of the chain because the spring action ortensione Y. VVing voi" ,theV joints eiects a shortening i of"pitch in the vslack run, and thus objectionable whip isf *eliminated ,-'I'his'k-automatic compensation fea-.1 ture is' very' advantageous in installations where. -5`0'itis ldifli'cultV to adjust center distances to take f, care of elongation due to wear.

' AI claim: t

' l, A drive chain comprising, :incombinatiom al Y series of links, Vrockerrjoints Vforir'p'airs of said links ,comprisingV a rocker pinY having a keying f surface and a rockerV surface, said keying surface being adapted to key said pin to oneV of the links t Y' of a pair, and a seatpin having'a keying surface and a seating` surface on which the rocker" pin rocks, said last mentioned keying surface being f adapted to keyY said seat pin to the other link of Y rocks, said last mentioned keying surface being Y .adapted to key said. seat pin to the .other link of said pair, and a yieldableV member Ylocated bey said pair, and aY yieldable member located between thev keyingssurfa'ce of .'one'of said'pins and ,theY linksfor tensioningl the joints.V i.

.2. A' drive'chain comprisingin combination, a t series( of links,` rocker joints forjpairs offsaidv` Ylinksjcomprising a .rocker pin havinga keying: surface and a rockersurface, said keying surface Y being adapted to keysaid'pin to one ofthe'links'` s of a pair, and a seat pinV having akeying surface and a seating surface on which -the rockerepin of Vthe construction ofthe joint Sfthroughout the to receiveV said yieldable memberthe seat pinj, .at

f seat pin is keyed,

V'tween the keyingsurface of fsaid seat pinand the y Y links for tensioning the joints'.

3; VA Vdrive chain comprising, in combination, a:

series of links, rockerjoints for pairs of said links comprising a rocker pin havinga keying surface 5V and a rocker surface, said keying surface being Yadapted to key said pin to one of the links of a, pair, and a seat pin having a keying surface and a seatingv surface on which the rockerpin rocks,

said last mentioned'keying'surface. being adapted 10 .to key said seatV pin to the other link'of said- 1 pair, and a yieldable member located between the keying surface of one of said pins and the linksvv for tensioning theV joints, said last men' tioned pinkbeing recessed at said keying surface 15V 4, A drive chaincomprising, in combination, a

series of links, rocker joints for pairs vof said links comprising a rockergpin having a keyingf;VV surfaceand a rocker'surface, said keying surface 20. Y Y

' being adapted to key'said. pin to one of thelinks i.

' of-'a pair, and a' seat Vpin'having a'keying surface. f'

and a seating surface on whichY the rocker pin rocks, said` last mentioned keying surface being.,

adapted to key saidgseatvpin to the otherflink 25;

of said pair, said'seat and Yrocker pinsbeing-non` yieldable, and a. yieldable member located be' n 'Y tween the keying surfaceof one of said pins and` Ythe* linksfor tensioning the.v joints; f

5. Adrive chain comprising; inY combination, a.. 3

series of links h aving pintlereceiving apertures, L

two Vpart pintles insaid apertures comprisinga seatpin and aVV rocker. pin; and a yieldable mem` .v

ber located between one of said pintle parts and adjacent aperture wall surface, said last men? '35 Y y recessedV to receive said'Y Y tioned Vpintle part being yieldablenmemben V `6..' fA drive chaincomprising, in combination, a

Vseries of links; rocker joints for pairs of said links l f comprising 'a rocker pin keyed; in one link. of Va 40'Y Y pair andrhaving a'rocker surface, and a seatpin keyed in the other link'ofA-said pair andhavinga front seating surfacecooperating with the rocker surface of theuseat pin, said seatpin having'a jvrear surface provided with a longitudinally ex'. 4.3. .tending recess; and a yieldable member carried in said recess and engagingthe link in whichV the .7, In a drive cham, thefcombinanonef links:V Y having pintleV receiving'apertures tvvopart'-Y pin- V30 tles in ksaid apertures pivotally joining pairs ofl 1 t the linksgcomprising a rocker pinkeyed in one-v link and Ya seat pinadaptedto-.be keyed 1n the Y Vother link, said pinY having rocker 'and seating surfaces `respectively constituting the working 55 portion of a rocker joint, said seat pin having ,recessV extending longitudinally thereof, and a bowed spring member in saidjrecess engaging the link in Whichthe seatV pin is keyed for. tensioning the joint. Y .Y y j 8. In a drive chain, the vcombinationrof links having apertures therein; and a rocker joint for pairs of said linkscomprising a rocker pin keyed which the rocker Vpin is keyed. Y t

Y Y Y' DAVID'iagrpniamr.V

to Y 

